Excellent tool - worth the $$$ for me.
Festool Domino DF 500 Set
Others reviewers have described the plus points in details. I agree with them all. I bought the dust collector as well, great integrated system.
Things I wish I knew when I first got it in the first few weeks.
Setup;
1. You need to calibrate the clear scale - its not accurate out of the box. Google for domino calibration and you'll find a few good videos to help you.
2. The Vertical fence can slip. I think there was still some grease on the slide and since the lock is a friction lock it would slip. I used a little degreaser and then scuffed it with some sand paper and it now locks like a champ.
Usage:
1. Cut slowly - if you force it, with all the vibrations it can slip.
2. Look for the extended manuals mentioned in the other reviews, much better than the doc that comes with it.
Other than initial teething problems and learning, absolutely no complaints.
Have fun.
Get your Festool Domino DF 500 Set Now!
Category Article pressure washer
An absolutely amazing and easy tool to use! I am not a pro wood worker and I am not going to argue the justification of purchasing a tool like this but after getting quotes on kitchen cabintes in the neighborhood of $3k and up for Chinese built imports, I decided to take the plunge and buy the tools to build my own. So you will not see me whining and complaining about the cost. I experimented with pocket hole technology and while very inexpensive I was just not that impressed, nor with the biscuit joining tools.In the end, I spent less than half the cost of the Chinese made cabinets, which by the way were very nicely built solid wood cabinets and saved over $1500.00 and I still have my tools to build other projects. This tool has made my life much easier! And absolute marvel of technology! Fein and Festool rule!
I had serious doubts about this purchase. I'd never owned a Festool tool before and this thing isn't exactly inexpensive. That and the lime green plastic looks kind of cheap. But a friend talked me into it---he highly recommended it.
My initial doubts were dead wrong. Everything about this things screams German Engineering. German Precision and it's even assembled in Germany. It's built like a tank.
Unfortunately, German engineering is going to cost you. These tools don't come cheap. But in this case I think you're going to get what you pay for. And thinking of cases. This thing comes with the best case I've ever seen with a tool---and I own a lot of tools! WOW! They hit a home run with this one.
I recommend you also bite the bullet and purchase the Domino Cutter and Tenon Assortment kit. You're going to need it anyway and it comes with a set of cutters that more than cover the value. It also comes with one of those GREAT Festool cases. The case will interlock with the cutter case too.
Okay, emotions aside---if you like high quality, well built, reliable, long lasting and accurate tools, look no further.
Try this very expensive tool just once and you'll wonder how you lived without it. I recommend Googling the video on how to use it before your 1st try. Well worth the few minutes to familiarize yourself with all the features.
I just love this tool and have used it for cabinet doors and face frames. It saves sooooooo much time and makes a perfect join. You'll love it too! It is fun and so fast to use.
Of yeah, the quality is also 1st class. Don't know why the one review had problems, but this is no Chinese knockoff.
In short, this tool was bought a preliminary tool to get me by until I could afford a more expensive, potentially more versatile one. However, this tool has a range of capabilities that lead me to believe that it is unlikely this tool will ever leave my shop. Its simple, its effective, and relatively inexpensive for its capabilities.
Others reviewers have described the plus points in details. I agree with them all. I bought the dust collector as well, great integrated system.
Things I wish I knew when I first got it in the first few weeks.
Setup;
1. You need to calibrate the clear scale - its not accurate out of the box. Google for domino calibration and you'll find a few good videos to help you.
2. The Vertical fence can slip. I think there was still some grease on the slide and since the lock is a friction lock it would slip. I used a little degreaser and then scuffed it with some sand paper and it now locks like a champ.
Usage:
1. Cut slowly - if you force it, with all the vibrations it can slip.
2. Look for the extended manuals mentioned in the other reviews, much better than the doc that comes with it.
Other than initial teething problems and learning, absolutely no complaints.
Have fun.
I was making mortise and tenon joints with a Harbor Freight mortiser and a dado blade on a table saw. The process was tedious, time consuming and frequently resulted in loose joints. With the domino, I can draw a line across the joint, set the offset and the depth of the mortise and in less than a minute (including time to clamp both pieces) have two perfect mortises. A huge time saver, not to mention the better fitting joints. The smallest dominos are 4 x 17 x 20mm, basically small enough to replace biscuits, a nice bonus if you don't already own a biscuit joiner as you probably won't need one.
The various fences, depth and offset settings and mortise width are all very easy to work with. The dust collection is great, basically no dust when hooked up to a shopvac. It even comes with an excellent quality case. Overall if you can get past the price, it is an amazing well engineered tool that is going produce tight joints in a fraction of the time.